Group Forum: DAILY CHECK IN HERE

You know, I've been thinking about "cheat days". I don't do them and here's why:

1.) I never seem to be able to get immediately back on plan. And once, I've slipped once, it's easier for me to justify slipping again and again.

2.) There is nothing that I miss so much that it outweighs the goals that I've set for myself. It helps that I've found low carb alternatives for anything that I really, really love that isn't "on plan".

3.) When doing low carb, Atkins especially, you're either on track or you're not. It takes me about 72 hours to get into good ketosis. One bite of anything that's loaded with sugar or wheat throws me out of ketosis and then it'll take another 72 hours for me to get back into it.

4.) Our bodies are amazingly adaptable machines. There is evidence that the reason why diets work best the first time we do them is because your body remembers the changes from the last time you did that particular diet and it basically says, "Oh I remember this. I'm not falling for this crap again". (Well my body uses those words, yours may phrase it differently.)

5.) 95% of any "diet" or eating plan working comes down to follow through. Ideally, you should be shooting for a lifestyle change that is sustainable and do-able forever. The reason so many people gain so much of the weight back after losing it on a diet is because they go right back to the WOE that got them into a place where they needed to lose weight in the first place.

Now, with all of that said, it's not like I haven't gone off plan for a meal. Most recently, in January when we went out for sushi. But that was the first time that I had done that since my Thanksgiving disaster when I binged for 5 days and put 10 lbs. on.Also, this idea of rewarding myself with food for staying on plan and losing weight seems counterproductive to me. I don't do food rewards. Also, I'm gluten intolerant and finding that I'm grain intolerant. Wheat triggers an extremely painful reaction. Rice triggers a reaction although not as bad as wheat. Corn, quinoa ... any kind of grain, period, triggers some kind of reaction. I listen to what my body is telling me and it's working. I'm now down 27 lbs. since getting serious about this in October.If you are going to "cheat", "treat your self" or "slip" do it mindfully and set limits for yourself. Do not make it a weekly or even monthly thing. The only person you're hurting is yourself.

Myrna Louis and danzaldo -Oh, girls, you make my head spin with talk of coffee at night. You are plainly much younger than I to even consider it. Having said that, I do still remember the days when I could drink all the coffee I wanted any time of day or night and have no problem with it. I suppose what I am driving at is that we all respond to coffee differently and often times our responses to it change over time.

Sweet dreams.

If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely." - Roald Dahl

Lyn, I had just spent a hour with Wally when I saw that. Definitely was desperate to sit down for a bit, perspiration was dripping but I was inspired to go back at it again. It really fit the mood so to speak. LOL

Ok, so I ONLY had 1 Atkins Bar yesterday. I thought I could go cold turkey, but my brother-in-law passed away of Acute Leukemia. He was diagnosed only 6 weeks ago!!! So, its been a little stressful around my house. We have to travel to West Virginia for the funeral which will be another challenge - to eat while away from home for a week! But stsarting today, I'm not having ANY Atkins bars. Promise to myself.

There was a time I used the word "cheat" on the days I would break my diet. But after awhile, it felt like I was giving myself permission to really not do the diet RIGHT. This time - there are no cheat days. I've gone out to eat several times, passed up offers for fantastic sweets (my downfall), but I managed. This is what I want and NEED to learn...how to KEEP the weight off. "Cheating" is only cheating yourself out of a lifestyle change. Instead of being angry at someone who might incorporate that into their diet, it should just be a reminder that we can be stronger than that. No offence to anyone either - just MY 2 cents worth.

MusicGirl.. 1 atkins bar yesterday - you'll survive! Just try to limit your intake.. Good for you for sticking to your plan and passing on those treats etc.. I have to deal with that type of temptation everyday - so trust me it does get easier! Hang in there!

Toni, SunKeeper, MyrnaLouise and everyone else that is discussing these PLANNED CHEAT DAYS! Thank you for bringing this up.. It was becoming quite confusing coming on here and seeing different discussions and knowing that someone can get mislead was very disturbing.. I agree that the "cheat days" is very counterproductive and when discussing freely about these cheat days can give those that are new to the site/group the wrong direction and or idea. Of course as humans you might slip up occasionaly but you get right back on track and continue with the program CORRECTLY!

A few of us that have been doing this Atkins for the past few months may have had a mishap but to actually schedule a full blown cheat day so new in the game or while still trying to meet your goal is going to give you a harder time to reach that goal! Yes, we are all grown and make choices on our own... with that being said some may need more support and motivation to stay on THEIR JOURNEY! We all need to stay positive and do what's right for ourselves but we also need to help others that need assistance with this JOURNEY!

We're all in this together so we don't need to get anyone confused, frustrated, off track, misguided, etc etc etc.. Please know that I am not trying to offend anyone... With that being said..

I totally get what you mean by the cheat days, but I myself use it and find it works for me. There are certain lifestyle plans that include a cheat day. It only works IF you can get rid of the junk the next day so you are not tempted to extend the cheat day. I think people need to do what works for them. People may think I am only hurting myself, but the plan I am doing works for me.

Good Morning, I would like alittle help please...I want to start the Fat Fast on Monday, can anyone tell me what they ate when they did it ??I have read everything & think having a few different things throughout the day would be easier than just eating one thing all day..Also, I'm aiming for 10 carbs or less--correct ? is there an amount on the protein I should try for ?I just want to be sure I get this right.... Thank You

Rockmela - If it works for you, it works for you and that's great. A lot of the people here are doing Atkins though and there aren't cheat days with Atkins. The thing with Atkins is to get your body into ketosis so that you're burning fat instead of sugars. You might be surprised at how little sugar it takes to reset that whole process all over again. For the seasoned low-carbers like Jaime, Dorothy, Angie and myself, while we may go off plan, we are aware of what we're doing and get right back on. But newbies to the lifestyle may find it misleading when they come in here looking for help and read posts about cheat days.

LynCaro---my hesitation on trying the liquid stevia is not an aversion to artificial sweetners. I've tried truvia and I cannot stand the taste of it. I bought it over a year ago and still have well over half the container. I try to use it in my cooking, I'll mix it with other sweeteners just to try and use it. So, I'm slow to try the liquid stevia afraid to spend the money on something that may just sit in the pantry.

Okay, the group is called Low Carb, not Atkins so I assumed it was accepting of all forms of Low Carb diets. I am sorry if my "diet" is confusing people. I could say the same of the Fat Fast form of losing weight. I think it is crucial that people research whatever plan they are going to start. I agree that eveyrone is on a journey....but the distance between two points is not always a straight line. Maybe I am being sensitive here, but I feel like I am being asked to not discuss my diet or comment here in this group.

Okay, the group is called Low Carb, not Atkins so I assumed it was accepting of all forms of Low Carb diets. I am sorry if my "diet" is confusing people. I could say the same of the Fat Fast form of losing weight. I think it is crucial that people research whatever plan they are going to start. I agree that eveyrone is on a journey....but the distance between two points is not always a straight line. Maybe I am being sensitive here, but I feel like I am being asked to not discuss my diet or comment here in this group.

You go, Rockmela!!I find this group both informational AND entertaining, and I feel that by all of this negative talk about cheat days this group has alienated one of its MOST entertaining members! (MEMBER, I remind you!) I'm sorry, but that just saddens me...

It's been stated over and over: "We're all in this together". Whether I carb cycle, Rockmela has a higher carb day once a week, or Myrna stays under 20 net carbs every day--WE ARE A GROUP IN THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER, and we need to support each other. Changing your lifestyle is hard enough without being scrutinized for every little piece of food that goes in your mouth.

(breathe....) Ok, I'm done. As Myrna says, I'm going to get down off of my cross now...

Rockmela - I certainly didn't mean to make you feel alienated and I hope that I didn't. I'm not, and I don't think anyone else here is, asking you not discuss anything that you want to here. I was only saying that I don't do cheat days and these are my reasons for that.

Julie - I wasn't trying to alienate anybody - and I don't think anyone else here was either. I've re-read my posts and honestly, can not see anything in anything that I wrote that 'would' be alienating.I know that not everyone here is on Atkins and like Angie said, this group is open to anyone that want to join and participate.I also don't think anyone here is "scrutinizing every little thing that anyone puts in to their mouth".

I'm so sleeeeepy today. At work trying to be creative and make up some new flyers for events. BLAH.

So my cheat meal was yesterday - good ol' mexican food. *sigh* carnitas. I didn't do the rice & beans, but I did a little dessert. I kept the portion down, but I did have half a cookie, half a piece of cheesecake, and half a cupcake. The boy had the other half. He is very supportive with this whole eating well thing. It's not too hard for him anyway, he is pescatarian which is basically a vegetarian who occassionally will eat fish. Been that way since 2000 and says he's never felt better. BUT, he is so not low carb. He is super active, and doesn't have the propensity to grow saddlebags if I carb badly. So my cheat meal had to be about 600 cals at least. OY!!!! Mexican food is not my fav - I can have that any day of the week, I grew up on it and if I really want it, the best in town is in my moms kitchen or the the boy's moms kitchen. To me, an ideal cheat meal is something I can't make - something I wish I could make. I feel cheated by my cheat meal.

I hope the rest of today is cleaner.

Congrats to all who had a good week, and here is to a great new low carb week ahead for us to make better choices if we had a bad week, and to continue to make good food choices those of you who did well this last week.

Okay. I did read that post. I read daily even if I don't post. I'm still not entirely sure how anything was "alienating".Danzaldo stated several pages of posts back that she wasn't doing low carb but she was doing low carb for her.